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2006 Chevrolet Impala

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Comments

  • dispencer1dispencer1 Member Posts: 489
    I attempted to trade in my Impala (2LT 8500 miles, Bose, 6 CD changer, ABS, Traction) on a 2006 program Cadillac and got a quote of $13,000 from the Chevy/Cadillac dealer. He is selling program Impalas for $16,800-18,000. If you ever want to get rid of your Impala sell it privately. I for one will never again purchase a new GM product. A program car with a few thousand miles costs $7,000 less. I guess I'll probably do what thousands have already done henceforth and head to Toyota or Honda where the cars hold their resale value. Must be a reason why. A $10,000 depreciation in 9 months on a midsize domestic car seems rather steep!!!!
  • charts2charts2 Member Posts: 618
    I like the Impala BUT I have been stating for a few years now its better to buy a used Impala then a new one. No one knows that some circumstance might force a person to sell their car earlier then anticipated and get the surprise of their life of the terrible resale value of these cars. Its near impossible to sell these cars privately, there are thousands dumped on used car lots every year by fleet customers depressing values including LTZs and a few SS cars. Its a win situation and a buyers market for 1 or 2 year old Impalas. I am not knocking the car just giving the facts. GM is reducing the number of cars sold to fleets. Last year Honda/Toyota sold around 11% each to fleets. 2005 over 40% of Impalas went to fleet services.
  • billwfriendbillwfriend Member Posts: 44
    I'm sorry you didn't do your homework ahead of time. Domestic automakers fill rental fleets with their vehicles (something Toyota is begging to do now too), so they depreciate ALOT over the first 36 months, as supply of used domestic vehicles far outpaces demand.

    This isn't anything new... been this way for a couple decades now.

    In my area Madison, WI/Rockford, IL, I can get 2006 Impalas 1LT (dealer starting price) for $13-$14 and 3LT for $14-$15 with 20k-30k miles on them.

    Those prices make for an attractive used vehicle, but certainly mean you're going to have to absorb 40% depreciation in the first year of 'new car' ownership.

    In fact, even Honda's and Toyota's take a big hit the first year too... you even need to keep those for 2-2.5 years to get your wholesale price to match what you still owe on them.
  • charts2charts2 Member Posts: 618
    What do you mean do my homework. Since the 1950s GM has been the fleet leader in cars/trucks. Check the Kelley Blue book for values on cars and after any year of ownership a comparable Japanese make will be worth more then a comparable GM/Ford/DC car. After 3,4,5,6,7 etc years a tiny Toyota Corolla brings more then any Chevrolets midsize offerings at trade in time. 12 month period between 2004 and 2005 over 50% of all Impala sales were fleets. This was a record for GM. Good news for a used Impala buyers but not for someone who trades new ones often.

    GM has been criticized the past few years for high fleet sales and at the start of 2006 they made less Impalas available for fleets. Still a long way to go.

    Toyotas, Hondas, Mazdas, Nissans all have much better comparable resale values then any of the big three. Thats a fact. Check it out.
  • evandroevandro Member Posts: 1,108
    Do even better: scout out-of-lease used cars. Three years-old, barely 36000mls., repair record and most of the depreciation accounted for makes them winning deals.
  • nosirrahgnosirrahg Member Posts: 872
    Question - You say your Impala depreciated $10k in 9 months. If the trading dealer offered you $13k, then to lose $10k that'd mean you paid $23k. Since a 2006 2LT speced as you describe would list for $23,620 you would have paid list price for the vehicle to lose $10k. It is very unlikely that anyone paid list price for an Impala 9 months ago, since there were certainly rebates and discounts offered on the car. These are taken into account when determining the resale value of a vehicle. Part of the reason a Camcord will have a higher resale value is because they typically sells closer to their actual MSRP. Everyone knows the MSRP of domestic cars are typically inflated, and that is reflected in the resale value.

    Tell us what your car listed for, then tell us what you actually paid for the car, and THEN see if the difference between what you PAID versus the trade-in offer was $10k.

    As an example, in my local paper a dealer is selling a 2007 LS which lists for $21,710 with a discount of $2,010 and a rebate of $3,700, for a total sales price of $15,995. That's almost $6k under the list price, so if trade in on this car 9 months from now is $11,710 ($10k less than the list price), that's a depreciation of $4,285 - still nothing to brag about, but a far cry from losing $10k.

    My experience has been that you might pay more for the perceived quality of a Camcord on the front end, and you may get that extra money back on the back end when you sell the car...but if look at the actual out-of-pocket amount it runs about the same. You'll pay less for a domestic car, and it will be worth less in the end, but for comparable vehicles the difference in what you actually spend will be negligible
  • mymittiesmymitties Member Posts: 242
    Hey you 2006/2007 SS Impala owners out there....
    What's the best tire pressure( cold) to run in the stock
    Goodyear Eagle RS-A's -235/50-18.
    Help would be appreciated...
    Thanks
  • quietproquietpro Member Posts: 702
    I run the recommended pressure in mine which I believe is 30 psi. Ride and handling seem to be just fine. Are you looking for a softer ride, better handling, better mileage?
  • mymittiesmymitties Member Posts: 242
    Hey Ron ...
    Thanks for your response here and your other one under "tires and suspension".I have a 2006 Impala LT(2).. now with the SS wheels/tires (Goodyear RS-A tires 235/50-18)installed...
    I had to change the rear struts to the SS versions for clearance.
    Tires were hitting the rear strut spring perch on the stock ones. Everything is fine now and they look great !!I have 30 lbs in them right now and just wanted to make sure this was ok. Someone told me to set them at 35 lbs.I am not worried about soft ride, mileage, etc, just the right tire pressure number as the accurate SS sticker is not on the inside of my door. In addition,i was going to change my front struts also to the ss firmer ride, so i thought, only to be told that all the front struts on all impalas are the same part number and therefore are the same... I don't quite understand this as the SS has the sport suspension(fe3).This is coming from my gm dealership.Do you know who can possibly help..??
    Thanks again
    Frank
  • rysterryster Member Posts: 571
    I looked into trading my '06 LT2 (Buckets, Alloy wheels, Bose, Power Seat) back in September when it only had 3,000 miles on it. Dealer quoted me $15K trade-in towards a new '06 Jeep Grand Cherokee. I paid $20K for the Impala, and I expected there to be some "negative equity". I was not surprised by the trade-in value quoted.

    I elected to keep my Impala for the time being. We will see what happens when I go to trade it at 24-30,000 miles ;)
  • charts2charts2 Member Posts: 618
    If they offered you $15,000 for your Impala, what deal were they going to make for you on the 06 Cherokee. Most dealers will inflate the offer on a trade in and give you less off on the new vehicle you buy. Did you ask what the best deal was on the Jeep if you didn't have a trade in?
  • quietproquietpro Member Posts: 702
    Oops...that was a guess earlier and I was off. I just checked and the recommended pressure is 32 psi.

    I will try to confirm what you're hearing about the front struts. I'm hoping you were told wrong because otherwise, I may be stuck with a soft front suspension.

    With the new wheels, does your car seem to ride higher than with the stock wheels? My sister's 3LT seems lower than mine.
  • axle52axle52 Member Posts: 36
    I know that when I traded in my 05 impala with 35,000 miles on it for a new 06 LTZ the dealer only gave me 18,500 for a trade in on the new impala. I had the 05 for 11 months. I paid 30,000 on the 05 LS( canadian dollars btw )brand new. Dealer told me because there is so many used impalas out there for the reason being the value at trade in. So there ya go. Funny thing is though the dealer listed my 05 impala for 24,500 on the used car lot. Money to be made if your a used car dealer.
  • mymittiesmymitties Member Posts: 242
    Many thanks for the info (32 PSI), I'll change the label
    on the inside of my door panel. I just heard from GM and indeed the front struts across the board for all 2006 and 2007 models(LS,LT,LTZ,SS) show the same part number...only the rears are different..Well, I guess it must be the springs and/or sway bar that really firms things up front for the SS. Please pass on if you hear what the actual reason is...!! The 18" wheels are/look great, they are about 1/2" wider and only about 3/4" higher for overall diameter compared to the stock 225/60-16 wheels.I got a great deal on EBAY.They give you a totally different ride i.e. slighty higher, alittle heavier feel, better handleing.I think your sister's comes with 17" wheels and they are also a nice size..
    Thanks again and talk to you soon...
    Frank
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Member Posts: 489
    You are absolutely right.
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Member Posts: 489
    I paid $22,800 for the car. I bought it back in March when GM had reduced the MSRP and offered no rebate.
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Member Posts: 489
    Thanks for all the comments. I should have mentioned that when I attempted the trade I was also offering a 54,000 miles '03 Deville (Certified) that they offered me $11,000 for. I wanted to get down to one car. I agree that I should have bought a program '06 Impala instead of a new one. I'll never buy another new GM car unless I plan to keep it at least 4 or 5 years. It is virtually impossible to sell a year old Impala privately because a dealer can finance one on his lot and everyone suspects that yours might be a lemon. I'll eventually sell it to someone I know in the next few months but it has been a good lesson. I'll look for a program '06 DTS next summer in the Dallas area where I have lots of selection and sell my '03 to a realtor.
  • charts2charts2 Member Posts: 618
    I am not knocking the Impala, I have been driving only chevys from day one but the fact of the matter is most american made cars have very poor resale value once driven off the lot.

    There is a nice 2006 Impala LS on ebay BUY IT NOW $13,100. Autotrader.com has hundreds of 2006 Impalas listed make your best deal. Great deals for the used Impala purchasers. If you are buying a NEW Impala and you know that you are going to keep the car for many years it might also be the car for you.

    For those contemplating buying a new or used Impala in the near future I would opt for the 2007. Some of the bugs will have been worked out and they also come with a 5 year 100,000 mile powertrain warranty that isn't standard of the 06s.
  • rysterryster Member Posts: 571
    The 06 Grand Cherokee was a brand new Laredo (6cylinder, 4wheel drive) They were offering the Jeep for $200 over invoice minus all then-current incentives (or 0% financing, whichever I preferred).
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Member Posts: 489
    Actually the reason I didn't buy a program car was because of the totally new '06. I ordered it in January and could have bought an '05 program Impala but wanted the new model. I got quite a bit of use out of it while moving this year and the flip and fold rear seat is worth every penny it costs. The Bose radio is ok but I could have lived without it -ditto the 6 cd changer. If the '06 had just been a freshened '05 I would have gotten a program '05. I agree about the '07. The powertrain warranty is a good deal. It will be interesting to see if the GM Protection Plan cost is less because of it.
  • bh0001bh0001 Member Posts: 340
    Any update on the new coax antenna for the remote problem? I'm waiting with baited breath for this fix. Fortunately it's been a warm winter here in Ontario so I haven't been swearing at the zero distance I get from my remote starter!
  • axle52axle52 Member Posts: 36
    Just had my car in and had the clicking and popping noises from the dash fix. Also having problems with my reception on the keyless remote but still not solved. Still waiting for the TSB that is suppose to come out this month. If someone hears of a solution, drop a line in this forum
  • mymittiesmymitties Member Posts: 242
    Hey guys..... Anyone out there fairly close to the Gm brass that can find out where the heck they are with the Coax Antenna fix for the remote and Tire message problems..?? Here it's almost mid January and I am impatient.. It almost seems like it's a dead issue.. However, I know better, there are too many of us with this problem for it to be of no intersest at this point !! Maybe the January fix date will really be around mid-year '07....
    Thanks
    Frank
  • axle52axle52 Member Posts: 36
    Hi. Had my car in again with my usual complaints about the TPM and KRE problems. My dealership has yet to solve these annoying issues. I have mentioned to the service advisor about this forum and the problems that we are having with our vehicles but they have no answers. I told him that there would be a new TSB out on these issues and they told me that they would notify me if they hear anything. I am not holding my breathe, but I will keep after them. Hope someone on this forum hears something and passes it on.
  • mymittiesmymitties Member Posts: 242
    Just thought I would pass along some of my recent experience and a little tad of information to some of you '06/'07 Impala LT (FE1 suspension) owners out there...
    Of course, you SS model (FE3 suspension) owners alredy know this....
    After changing my rear struts to the SS versions because of installing the bigger SS 235/50-18 wheels/tires, I decided to make one more change. Well, I changed the stock 30 mm front stabilizer bar to the SS 34 mm bar and oh boy..what a noticable difference. The Feel and cornering now is greatly improved !!! Much firmer ,but not unreasonable.. I think i will stop here.....
    Frank
  • quietproquietpro Member Posts: 702
    I'll bet it is nice. Now, you just need to add a few hundred pounds to the front of your car to get the full SS effect. Just kidding...except for power, you've probably got a much better handling vehicle. :)
  • mymittiesmymitties Member Posts: 242
    Thanks quietpro...yes, it's nice and much better(firmer)
    handeling !! I would have liked the SS power like yours but
    where I am, they go for about $10,000 more than the LT.
    I'm happy at this point...

    Frank
  • colchester47colchester47 Member Posts: 261
    Just purchased my new 2006 SS.....a leftover that had a great price tag.....Red (burgundy) with neutral cloth interior....the 5.3 is awesome!! Will be looking here for any problems...so far everything seems ok!!........bryan
  • mymittiesmymitties Member Posts: 242
    Hey Bryan... well done, you must be really excited !! You certainly have one heck of a fine car there, and i'm sure that the 5.3 will give you an awesome time.
    Just curious though ...a fully loaded SS where I am goes for around $ 38,100 to $ 39,995 depending on option choices.
    I'd be interesed to hear what you picked-up your '06 for....??
    Have fun.....!!
    Frank
  • colchester47colchester47 Member Posts: 261
    Hi, Frank....I'm here in New Jersey, the sticker price was $26,990.00..they wanted it off the lot because as I mentioned it is a 2006 and I bought it Dec. 30th ....The dealer came down to $21,500.00, plus they had the year end Red Tag rebate sale going on til Jan.2nd...which was another $1500.00 off....I said I'd think about it, went home to think it over ...in the meantime the dealer called me and said if I took the car before Jan 2nd , he'd double the red tag rebate to $3000.00!!!So, now I was down to $18,500!!!...My wife reminded me that I had a GM card with $2000.00 credit points on it...so now I was down to $16,500.00!!! I traded my 2001 Jeep ....they offered me $7000.00 for that. I said no. A few hours later they called said they'd give me $8500 for it (it was the stripped down SE model)...so, now I'm down to $ 8000.00 for the Impala.....Once I heard the duals fire up.....it was gone!!!....Jan 2nd , I took ownership. talk soon...
  • colchester47colchester47 Member Posts: 261
    Oh, I forgot...this SS has everything except the sun roof,xm radio, bose radio and leather seats....
  • mymittiesmymitties Member Posts: 242
    .....Absolutely incredible....!!!!!!!

    I would say that you got the deal of the year....!!!!

    Enjoy !!
  • kjcapellkjcapell Member Posts: 2
    Today i noticed that my passenger side rear blinker had quit working. When i went to replace the bulb, i noticed that i could not open the trunk, with the key fob or with the interior button. Anyone else seen this issue.

    I also have an issue with my remote range. Will the dealer fix that as part of a waranty claim? When is the final fix suposed to be done?

    I also noticed today that there is a whine coming from the engine compartment. It follows engine rmp, almost sounds like the steering pump. It just started when the blinker quit working. or at least thats when i noticed it.

    Also occasionally when i really accelerate in a turn, the engine almost seems to cut out. With trac control off. ??

    What else should i look out for?
  • mymittiesmymitties Member Posts: 242
    Well ....join the club...it seems there are a whole bunch of us out here with the same key fob/receiver problem...Go to the forum " IMPALA 2006 + " on page #217 see # 2160 and this will help you understand what one of your problems may be........
    Frank
  • colchester47colchester47 Member Posts: 261
    What constitues a full size vehicle?.....Length..200.00"..Interior volume 120 cu.in.......wheelbase 110"...The 2006 Impala has an over all length of 201.00"....Interior volume of 124 cu in....and a wheelbase of 110.5....so why does GM call their Impala a Mid-size car?....Strange...................Love my New SS......
  • quietproquietpro Member Posts: 702
    I would check your fuzes for the trunk release problem but otherwise, it may be something electronic. Hopefully it is something simple and blown bulb. If you're within the first 12 month/12,000 miles, the dealer should fix both problems.

    With the engine whine, do you have the A/C or defroster on when you notice it? With my SS, I notice a whine (99% sure it's the A/C compressor) while driving around town. Mine seems to happen after I've driven at faster speeds for a while and then start stop and go driving. For what it's worth, I first noticed mine about 9 mos ago and it hasn't gotten any worse. Now that I can duplicate it, I may bring it up the next time I go in for service.

    As for the engine cutting out, I've heard that the traction control doesn't necessarily stop working once you turn it off. Somewhere in one of these threads, there are posts about more wheel spinning with the traction control on. I'm guessing it may be a secondary system that's possibly protecting the transaxle from damage from overspinning. That's just a guess since I don't have a lot of experience with wheel spin (tires are too expensive). :)
  • bh0001bh0001 Member Posts: 340
    Hmmmm...interesting idea!

    How much did it cost you to upgrade to the 34mm bar?

    Does anyone know if there is there any reason why I couldn't do this to my LTZ with the stock 17" wheels?

    Impatiently waiting for the new coax antenna for the remotes >:-(
  • mymittiesmymitties Member Posts: 242
    Upgraded to the front SS (FE3)stabilizer bar
    on my '06 LT for....
    Bar $ 75.00 and 2 insulators $4.50 each.
    Labour at the dealership was about $ 100.00.
    Bar will fit LT & LTZ models.... To save you time,I'll give you the GMpart numbers if you woud like.....
  • ub67ub67 Member Posts: 3
    Hi I've had my 06 LTZ since July and would like to try the larger stablizer bar it seemes a little soggy in the corners. Could you post the part # when you get a minute thanks.
  • mymittiesmymitties Member Posts: 242
    Hi there UB67,

    Sure will..., here are the actual GM part numbers for a 2006/2007 Impala SS with the FE3 Sport Suspension. These will fit and should firm-up the front end of your LTZ(FE2).
    For your info, the front struts on all the '06/'07 LS, LT's, LTZ, and SS( yes, even the SS) are all the same struts with all the same part numbers. However, the rear struts on the SS model are a different size/firmness to accomodate the larger wheels/tires...For some reason, I found GM part numbers somewhat difficult to get a hold of, so i hope you find this usefull/helpfull. Let us know how you make out, or if you have any other questions....!!

    Front 34mm Stabilizer Bar # 10404184 ($ 74.24)

    Insulators (need 2) # 10284149 ($ 4.83 each)

    You can either buy these from your local GM dealer's parts department or go to the GM Parts Direct web site for great prices as above.....

    Have Fun!!!
    Frank
  • ub67ub67 Member Posts: 3
    Thanks I just looked the parts up and the 34mm Stabilizer Bar is on sale at http://www.gmpartsdirect.com
    for $44.00 but they list the part as a shaft is that right?
    It's my lucky day. $$ 65.74 grand total with shipping.
  • mymittiesmymitties Member Posts: 242
    Hi ub67

    Yes..that's the one....They call the stabilizer/sway bar there a shaft ....great price..!! Don't forget to order the two new insulators. Also,go to the top of the page and press performance, than press chasis-suspension-brakes,
    then press w-body impala, monte carlo and it will show you the picture of the bar with the older prices..
    Frank
  • lostwrenchlostwrench Member Posts: 288
    Vehicle class is based on passenger AND cargo volume in cu. ft.
    Minicompact---Under 85
    Subcompact---85 to 99
    Compact---100 to 109
    Midsize---110 to 119
    Large---120 or more.

    These figures are for sedans only, and not for station wagons, pickup trucks, vans, minivans, and SUVs.

    Where did you see GM calling the Impala mid-size?

    (You didn't really mean 120 and 124 cu. in. right?)
  • colchester47colchester47 Member Posts: 261
    I meant cubic ft.......If you go the GM web site and look up Mid-size cars , they have the Impala listed in the mid-size catagory.Also some of your car sites (Edmunds) have the Impala as a mid size car.....their are some that claim it as a full size....but GM , at least where I look , call it a Mid-Size car...
  • colchester47colchester47 Member Posts: 261
    Seems GM has made a rather rare breed of the 2006 Impala SS...Production of the SS for "06 was just under the 20,000 mark. Total Production for all "06 Impalas was over 200,000.....The 1996 Impala SS was produced at 41,941...the 1964 Impala SS were produced at 185,000 .... Should keep the value up slightly....... Can't say enough about my new "06....great car.................so far!
  • jntjnt Member Posts: 316
    Next time if you rent an Impala from any rental car companies, you will be happy: they are listing Impala as Full size vehicle. So who is right? GM or National rental car?

    jt
  • colchester47colchester47 Member Posts: 261
    I believe it's a full size car.....just by the specs......110" wheelbase....124 Cu.ft interior volume.....it moves like a sports car with that 303hp V8................one awesome engine....supposedly the fastest Impala ever made, no other Impala , ever , regardless of engine size topped the 5.7 seconds 0-60.....I was at a light the other day and for the first time I punched it down.....Burning rubber and smoke from the tires...I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT!!!!! For the record , I'm 60 years old, I remember and owned alot of Impalas ...1961, '65 '73..... This one would kill even the 409 of the early sixties......amazing......even with the fwd....it's an awesome machine............
  • nosirrahgnosirrahg Member Posts: 872
    And the 409 probably wouldn't come close to 18 MPG on the highway, let alone in town! :)
  • colchester47colchester47 Member Posts: 261
    thats so true....those cars were gas guzzlers...on the the other hand gas was .25 cents a gallon back then. I have picture of myself pumping gas at my Fathers Gulf station , 1961....Gulf NO-NOX premium was .29 a gallon. regular .25 and the cheap Gulftane was .21 a gallon......a fill-up in a big Caddy was about $4.00........talk you guys later...
  • charts2charts2 Member Posts: 618
    Thats true about the fuel economy of the 409 cars from the early 60s. The engines were heavy cast iron where todays engines are mostly lightweight aluminum with many plastic components. Technology is much improved from 44 years ago. Almost everything on the 60s full size chevys operated by mechanical means where todays Impala is electronic everything. Carburated engines then were slow to react to todays electronic fuel injection. Gas was practically poured into the engine then where today it is precisely metered. Tires were a HUGE issue then that hampered performance. Skinny 14" wheels/nylon tires could not handle the brute performance of any muscle cars in the 60s, no match for todays 18" sticky wider tires on the current Impala SS. I remember as a teenager back then reading the performance tests of these cars especially from 1962 and 63. Motor Trend, Car and Driver, Road & Track did road tests then of these cars and indicated that the high performance Belairs/Impalas from 63 could almost lay rubber right to 60 mph. They just couldn't hook up with 1963s technology. The cars were front end heavy and the two speed automatic and the 4 speed manual transmissions were very primitive and no match for todays electronic 4 speed auto. Back in 63 I believe chevy sold over 800,000 full sized cars for the year, over 1 million in 1965. Those numbers will never be duplicated again.

    There was one Chevy Impala model from 1963 that could outperform the current Impala SS and that was the limited edition light weight Impala Z11. Chevrolet made only 57 of these cars. It was a special 409/427 car that was designed for drag racing but was street legal. It had aluminum bumpers, fenders, hood, water pump, battery tray that shaved over 100 pounds from the cars. Chevy won NHRA drag racing titles with these cars in 63. It could run the quarter mile in under 12 seconds at over 115 mph. 0-60 would be in the low 4 second range. The few remaining Z11s today are worth $200,000 - $300,000 each. The 2006/07 Impala has come a long way and changes again are coming in 2009 when the Impala becomes a little larger, with even more performance and RWD just like it was back in the day.
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